Thursday, September 27, 2012

Sufism’s message of tolerance has universal relevance: Sherry

WASHINGTON - Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Sherry
Rehman told an American audience at a cultural event on Saturday night
that Sufism embraces the spirit of tolerance and inclusion, and its
message is increasingly relevant in this age of competing ideologies.
She was speaking at the Smithsonian Institute, where popular Pakistani
Sufi singer Sanam Marvi gave a mesmerizing performance, attended by
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar.The new US ambassador to Pakistan,
Richard Olson, senior American officials and a large number of Pakistani
and American followers of the mystic poetry and music attended the
performance by the acclaimed singer. In her remarks, sherry made it
clear that Sufism was not a sect of Islam. “Its practice encapsulates
the very essence of our faith,” the Pakistani envoy said.
“For over a decade now,” she said, “we have seen the marketplace of
global ideas distorted by new walls of hatred and prejudice... This
negativity causes many to lose hope in the project of peaceful
civilizations, that instead of clashing, nurture the best in humanity.”
She told the audience that Pakistan’s founding father, Quaid-e-Azam
Mohammad Ali Jinnah, actively advocated a plural model of citizenship,
asserting that all Pakistani citizens shall enjoy the same rights and
privileges, regardless of their religious affiliation.
Sherry explained to the attentive audience the message of Sufism as she
observed that “being grounded in the mystical connection between the
individual and the divine, Sufism embraces the spirit of tolerance and
inclusion in both its discourse and practice”.
“This is one of the reasons why Sufi saints played a central role in the
spread of Islam, especially in South Asia, making it the second biggest
and the most practiced religion in the world,” she added.
“The Sufi doctrine is simple and universal, that the light of God abides
in the heart of each person. The Sufi ‘tariqa’ or the Sufi way guides
us on the roads of the inner journey towards discovering the self, for
the ultimate goal of reaching the divine light and wisdom that each one
of us carries within.”
“What could, indeed, be a more appropriate and opportune time to think
and reflect about the message of unity, peace, togetherness and patience
exemplified by the life and teachings of Sufi saints and their
philosophy of life?” the ambassador stressed.

Sufism’s message of tolerance has universal relevance: Sherry

WASHINGTON - Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Sherry
Rehman told an American audience at a cultural event on Saturday night
that Sufism embraces the spirit of tolerance and inclusion, and its
message is increasingly relevant in this age of competing ideologies.
She was speaking at the Smithsonian Institute, where popular Pakistani
Sufi singer Sanam Marvi gave a mesmerizing performance, attended by
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar.The new US ambassador to Pakistan,
Richard Olson, senior American officials and a large number of Pakistani
and American followers of the mystic poetry and music attended the
performance by the acclaimed singer. In her remarks, sherry made it
clear that Sufism was not a sect of Islam. “Its practice encapsulates
the very essence of our faith,” the Pakistani envoy said.
“For over a decade now,” she said, “we have seen the marketplace of
global ideas distorted by new walls of hatred and prejudice... This
negativity causes many to lose hope in the project of peaceful
civilizations, that instead of clashing, nurture the best in humanity.”
She told the audience that Pakistan’s founding father, Quaid-e-Azam
Mohammad Ali Jinnah, actively advocated a plural model of citizenship,
asserting that all Pakistani citizens shall enjoy the same rights and
privileges, regardless of their religious affiliation.
Sherry explained to the attentive audience the message of Sufism as she
observed that “being grounded in the mystical connection between the
individual and the divine, Sufism embraces the spirit of tolerance and
inclusion in both its discourse and practice”.
“This is one of the reasons why Sufi saints played a central role in the
spread of Islam, especially in South Asia, making it the second biggest
and the most practiced religion in the world,” she added.
“The Sufi doctrine is simple and universal, that the light of God abides
in the heart of each person. The Sufi ‘tariqa’ or the Sufi way guides
us on the roads of the inner journey towards discovering the self, for
the ultimate goal of reaching the divine light and wisdom that each one
of us carries within.”
“What could, indeed, be a more appropriate and opportune time to think
and reflect about the message of unity, peace, togetherness and patience
exemplified by the life and teachings of Sufi saints and their
philosophy of life?” the ambassador stressed.

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